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52
SIR JOHN CASS INFANT SCHOOL—MITRE STREET, ALDGATE.
The above.mentioned school was closed by order for fourteen days from
the 7th April, 1905, in consequence of an outbreak of Measles, it having been
ascertained on the previous day that 18 children had been attacked and that
in nine cases children were excluded from the school owing to the disease
having occurred in their homes. Thus, 27 out of 60 scholars on the roll
were absent. The usual cleansing and disinfection of the school buildings was
effected during the closure, and no further cases were reported.
GRAVEL LANE BOARD SCHOOL.
On the 19th May, 1905, it was reported that 32 of the children attending
the Infants' Department of the Gravel Lane Board School had been attacked
with Measles, that in 16 cases children had been excluded on account of the
disease having occurred in their homes, and that 22 other children were kept
away on account of Ophthalmia, Ringworm, &c. Thus, 70 out of 360 on the
roll were absent
In the circumstances I advised the issue of an order, as in the previous
case, requiring the closure of the Infants' Department for fourteen days from
the 19th May ; in the interval the usual disinfection and cleansing of the
school buildings were carried out.
Subsequent to the closing of this department, cases of Measles, Ophthalmia,
Ringworm, Favus and Scabies occurred in the other departments of the school,
and this, together with the fact that 42 of the children were necessarily absent
on account of infectious disease occurring in the other persons of the
household, occasioned some alarm among the teachers and others as to the
advisability of closing the school altogether. Though there did not seem to
me to be any reason for this, it appeared to be wise to have the whole school
thoroughly disinfected. I therefore called upon the Medical Officer of the
Education Department of the London County Council to have this carried
out. The school was closed for the purpose from the 29th May to the 3rd
June. During this interval the whole of the buildings were sprayed with a
solution of Cyllin (the routine method of dealing with cases of infected rooms
in the City), and the books and materials disinfected. I subsequently called
the attention of the Medical Officer to certain points which were unsatisfactory
with regard to the school generally, viz.:—
1.—The staff provided for cleansing is too small to secure it being
thoroughly carried out. This is essential in all schools, especially
where Ringworm, Favus and Ophthalmia have appeared, the spread of
which is effected by the presence of dust.
2.—In view of the practical impossibility of preventing the use of towels in
common with a large number of children, that it is advisable that the
lavatories should be locked during such time as there are any cases of
these diseases in the school, and any necessary use of such accommodation
made only under personal supervision, so as to prevent the spread
of infection by towels.